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STUDIES ON PROVERBSExposition: Proverbs 8:1-36

Introduction:

“Wisdom” is the chief subject of this chapter, and it is personified, and
several of the things predicated of it make it evident that none other than
the Lord Jesus Himself is meant. And this only harmonizes with the N. T. which
also refers to Him under this term, (Luke 11:49; compare with this Matthew
23:34; 1 Cor. 1:24-30 and perhaps 2:7-8; Col 2:3). No doubt His name “Word” is
associated with this thought since in its ideal form, a word is but the
declaration of hidden wisdom. Clearly, this personified Wisdom here is in
contrast with the unholy woman of the previous chapter.

Proverbs 8:1 “Doth not wisdom cry? And
understanding put forth her voice?” This has already been stated in
Proverbs 1:20-21, so that here it is but a call for the hearers to acknowledge
this fact that has already been declared. How does Wisdom cry? (1) Personally,
as Jesus Himself taught. (2) Verbally, in the written Word of God. (3)
Providentially, as God speaks through His works, (Ps. 19:1-6). (4)
Ministerially, in the preaching of His ministers. (5) Evidentially, in the
lives of the saved. “The things revealed are easy to be known, for they
belong to us and to our children (Deut. 29:29), for they are proclaimed in
some measure by the works of the creation (Ps. 19:1), more fully by the
consciences of men and the eternal reasons and rules of good and evil, but
most clearly by Moses and the prophets,” [M. Henry].

Proverbs 8:2 “She
standeth in the top of high places , by the way in the places of the paths.”
The glory of the ancient philosophies was that it was hidden from the average
person, and could be found out only by the great thinkers. Conversely, Divine
Wisdom’s glory is in its being available to all, actually making a public call
to, and claim upon, all who come near it. “‘Standeth’ implies assiduous
perseverance in her gracious calls to men. Instead of taking her stand in dark
places, in a corner (Prov. 7:8), like the harlot (Prov. 7:9), she standeth ‘in
the top of high places,’ where all going to and fro may hear,” [Faussett]. She
appeals to the multitudes, but only here and there does one respond, for “many
are called, but few are chosen,” (Matthew 20:16; 22:14).

Proverbs 8:3 “She crieth at the gates,
at the entry of the city, at the coming in at thedoors.”
The gates of a city was the place where one could reach the most people with a
message, for everyone entering or leaving had to pass through here. Here the
prophets often proclaimed their messages of rebuke to the people, (Isa. 29:21;
Jer. 7:2; 17:19ff, etc.). As “gates” suggest the way into the city, so “doors”
would suggest the way into the house, for the appeal of the Word of God is not
just to men’s public lives and conduct, but also to their most private lives
and conduct as well. Thus, Wisdom appeals to man’s needs in every area of
life, and does so in the most plain and positive ways. “Those who will go
astray and be lost, do so in the face of the plainest warnings and invitations
of love,” [Faussett]. Where danger exists, true love must cry vehemently.

Proverbs 8:4 “Unto you, O men, I call;
and my voice is to the sons of man.” Two different words are used for “men” here: the
first suggests man as mighty and noble, while the second (son of Adam)
suggests man as a common son of fallen Adam—as a mortal creature. Thus, Wisdom
is shown to be needful for the great as well as the small: for those who deem
themselves to be great and noble as well as for those who see themselves as
they truly are: for the fathers as well as for the sons. Wisdom is sufficient
for the needs of all classes of sinners, and there are none who are exempted
from needing it.

Proverbs 8:5 “O ye simple, understand
wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understandingheart.”
The design of Wisdom is to make men wise where they are simple, and it is
capable of even giving understanding to fallen, sinful man. “The ‘simple’ are
those liable to be led astray. The ‘fools’ are those actually guilty of sinful
folly and error (Prov. 26:12),” [Faussett]. “Wisdom” here is a different
Hebrew word than in verse 1, being the same as “subtilty” in Proverbs 1:4. The
same word is rendered “prudence” in Proverbs 8:12. A “fool” (One who is
self-confident here) is worse than merely a simple one, and his trouble is a
defective heart, which needs changing ere it destroy him, (Prov. 28:26).

Proverbs 8:6“Hear; for I
will speak of excellent things. And the opening ofmy lips shall be right things.” “Literally ‘princely
things.’ Words that are as princes above all other topics of discourse,” [Faussett].
The purpose of these excellent and right things is expressed in Proverbs
22:17-21 —to teach men to trust in the Lord rather than trusting in one’s
self. “Things which relate to an eternal God, an immortal soul, and an
everlasting state, must needs to be excellent things,” [M. Henry]. This
reminds us of Jesus’ claims to have spoken the truth in John 8:32, 40, 45-47,
which was rejected by the self-sufficient Jews in His days.

Proverbs 8:7 “For my mouth shall speak
truth; and wickednessis an abomination to my lips.” Of our Lord
Jesus alone was this fulfilled perfectly. “Speak” is rendered “mediate” in
Joshua 1:8 and Psalms 1:2, etc. “I will not speak rashly, but with
premeditation; implying the meditative thoughtfulness and gravity of the
speaker’s words,” [Faussett]. The Lord’s lips always spoke the truth because
His Father’s law was always in His heart, and He delighted to do His will,
(Ps. 40:8-10). This is why such great emphasis is placed upon man’s need for a
heart change: in no other way can the words and ways of man be sanctified.

Proverbs 8:8 “All the words of my mouth
are in righteousness; there isnothing froward or perverse in them.” Again, no
one but Jesus Christ could honestly make this claim. Pure truth and
righteousness has never fallen from the lips of but One who walked the walks
of men. Men often twist and distort the truth for their own purposes, so that
almost anything but an ironclad written contract is considered to be but an
opportunity to cheat others. But not so did our Lord conduct Himself when He
walked among men. He not only spoke righteousness, but He also spoke in
righteousness for He perfectly practiced what He taught; He never had to twist
His teachings to make them harmonize with His life.

Proverbs 8:9 “They are all plain to him
that understandeth, andright to them that find knowledge.” Right
understanding requires a right attitude on the part of the learner.
Unwillingness to obey closes the mind to right understanding of spiritual
truth, (John 7:17; where “do” is an infinite: “if anyone willeth to do his
will, he shall know…”). Spiritual things are generally dark and enigmatical to
lost people simply because their minds are blinded through their unbelief, (2
Cor. 4:3-4). It is a manifest truth that most people who claim not to
understand the Bible, really do understand it, but they are unwilling to obey,
and so they claim not to understand it to avoid being obvious rebels against
the truth.

Proverbs 8:10“Receive my
instruction, and not silver; and knowledge ratherthan choice gold.” There is not here taught an
absolute rejection of silver and gold, for these are often necessary, but this
shows the relatively greater importance of spiritual truth to earthly
treasures, and that spiritual wisdom is the most important thing. A man would
trade all the earth’s wealth he could raise to be delivered from hell after it
was too late to make this choice, (Matt. 16:26), but the time to choose wisdom
instead of wealth is before death takes one away from both. So the rich man
learned his folly after it was too late, (Luke 16:19ff).

Proverbs 8:11 “For wisdom is better than
rubies; andall the things that may be desired are not to be
compared to it.” How clearly this shows the importance of knowledge of
Divine truth. Gold, silver, jewels and all other forms of wealth must be left
behind when this short life on earth is over, but wisdom, being an acquisition
of the mind and the heart, will endure throughout all eternity. Man, because
he is a carnal creature until he is born again, always desires things that
pertain to the flesh, but these things, like the flesh, are so very temporal
and fleeting. Only the soul, and what it has accumulated to itself, will last
on and on and on. How we ought to feed and beautify the soul.

Proverbs 8:12“I wisdom
dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.”
“Prudence” is a practical knowledge. It takes more than a mere theoretical
knowledge of the Lord to have His indwelling us. “Wisdom here is Christ, in
whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; it is Christ in
the word and Christ in the heart, not only Christ revealed to us, but Christ
revealed in us,” [M. Henry]. Since his fall, man has sought out many
inventions, (Eccl. 7:29), to flatter his ego and promote his own welfare, but
the Divine Wisdom judges these in their true light and determines their
worthlessness in the light of eternity. We must submit to the Divine diagnosis
of these in order to have the right outlook on things and to prevent
displeasing our indwelling Instructor and Teacher. Wisdom preserves men, but
wealth often destroys man for more people have died as a result of luxury and
its influence, than have died because of poverty.

Proverbs 8:13“The fear of
the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy,
and the evil way, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.”
“Here wisdom gives a sample of her blessed teachings. They consist not I mere
abstruse speculations, but in practical inculcation of the fear of the Lord
(Prov. 9:10) as her fundamental principle, and its consequence, the hatred of
evil (Prov. 16:6),” [Faussett]. The fear and love of the Lord involves the
hatred of evil: there is no room for compromise in this, for evil sets itself
against the Lord, and to take any attitude toward it but hatred is to dishonor
the Lord, (Ps. 97:10; 139:21-22; Amos 5:14-15). Here are three categories of
evil: (1) Pride and arrogance are mental evils. (2) The evil way has to do
with evil actions. (3) The froward mouth is vocal evil. Evil is either in
thought, word or deed.

Proverbs 8:14 “Counsel is mine, and
sound wisdom: I amunderstanding; I have strength.” “Here we are
introduced to a most extraordinary and perplexing complication of figures. It
is supposed that the divine wisdom is figuratively exhibited as a person,
addressing her admonitions and instructions to the sons of men,” [Baird]. Not
only is Christ the Wisdom of God, (1 Cor. 1:24), but He is also the Wonderful
Counselor, (Isa. 9:6), for His counsel is always that which does us good.
“Sound wisdom” is contrasted with the wisdom of the world, (1 Cor. 1:20-21),
which is not sound. Being understanding personified, He is also the source of
all understanding, and this understanding, (2 Tim. 1:7). But He does not
unscrew the top of the head and pour in understanding regardless of one’s
attitude: no! He gives it through the hearing and obeying of the Word of God.

Proverbs 8:15 “By me kings reign, and
princes decree justice.”
Many texts show that God alone raises up and puts down the rulers of earth,
(Ps. 18:35; 75:6-7; Jer. 27:5; Dan. 2:21; 4:27-37; Rom. 13:1-2). Because it is
always of God’s directive or permissive will that anyone reigns, believers
have a duty to pray for all who are in authority, (1 Tim. 2:1-3), even for
thoroughly wicked rulers, as Nero was at the time Paul wrote this. “If even
‘kings’ owe their authority, and their power of reigning wisely and happily,
to Wisdom, whose embodiment is Messiah, the King of kings, much more may we,
as private individuals, depend on her for guidance in all our concerns,” [Faussett].

Proverbs 8:16 “By me princes rule, and
nobles, even all the judges of the earth.” Jesus Himself acknowledged this fact
in John 19:10-11. “Princes” here is a different Hebrew word from that in verse
15, being a lower grade of ruler, for whereas in verse 15 the word is
associated with kings, here it is associated with nobles and judges. The word
here, though most commonly rendered “prince” is also commonly rendered
“captain.” Taken together, verses 15-16 show that all governmental offices are
ordained by God, and men only come to occupy them by God’s permissive will.
This is why we have a duty to honor them, for they represent God, even when
they do not personally know God.

Proverbs 8:17“I love them
that love me; and those that seek me early shallfind me.” Here is shown that there is a
reciprocal love between Christ and His people. One Hebrew reading is “I love
them that love her” (i.e. Wisdom). “In either case the Word of God
identifies loving her with loving God Himself. She cannot be a mere
attribute, but a person,” [Faussett]. 1 John 4:19 goes further to
reveal that God’s love is prior to ours and the cause of ours for Him. His
love to us draws out our love to Him. “It is implied that the love of God is
the fountain and foundation of the communication of all blessings, and
therefore of perfect blessedness,” [T. Cartwright]. “Early” may be applied
several ways: (1) Early in life. (2) Early in each day. (3) Early when
problems first arise (not as a last resort). (4) Early, in the sense of
earnestly, without delay.

Proverbs 8:18 “Riches and honor are with
me; yea, durable richesand righteousness.” This does not justify the
idea that every believer will become rich in material possessions. God has
never promised more than just a sufficiency of our needs, (Ps. 37:23-26; Phil.
4:19). Nor does this mean that the believer will have much worldly honor;
quite the contrary, (John 15:18-21; 2 Tim. 3:12). These promises deal with
spiritual riches, honor and righteousness; hence, they are “enduring” riches.
Everything of earth will eventually pass away, but he who seeks the Lord’s
righteousness will endure forever, (1 John 2:17).

Proverbs 8:19“My fruit is
better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my
revenue than choice silver.” (Prov. 3:14). The fruit of Wisdom is the
benefits that flow to those who receive it and submit to it. However men may
value gold and silver, in the final analysis, no material thing can deliver
one from death: righteousness, which comes from knowledge of the Lord, alone
can deliver from death and damnation, (Prov. 10:2; 11:4). “Revenue” means
increase, so that clearly there is profit in the possession of “Wisdom” that
is greater than the best interest one can draw on money. The old theologians
often spoke of “having an interest in Christ’s redemption”: if we are assured
of a part in this, we may be sure of rewards growing out of this. The two
following verses explain this.

Proverbs 8:20 “I lead in the way of
righteousness, in the midst of thepaths of
judgment.” The Lord’s leading is always in the way of righteousness: it
is the devil who leads outside the way of righteousness. It is because of the
direction of the Lord’s leading that it is always profitable both for the life
that now is, and also for that which is to come, (1 Tim. 4:7-8). The Lord’s
leading is such that we are found to be in the midst of the paths of judgment,
not to the extreme on either side, as was warned against in 4:27. The way of
truth is, as Jesus taught, a strait and narrow way, (Matthew 7:13-14). The
broad way that allows people to wander far astray, though very popular, is the
way to eternal destruction. Divine Wisdom leads men to the way that is
righteous, and that produces righteousness.

Proverbs 8:21 “That I may causethose that love me to inherit substance; and I will
fill their treasures.” Here is the promised fruit of submitting to
Wisdom: treasures of real substance. “It is a happiness which will subsist of
itself, and stand alone, without the accidental supports of outward
conveniences. Spiritual and eternal things are the only real and substantial
things,” [M. Henry]. Worldly possessions and riches are but shadows that are
here today and gone tomorrow, (Prov. 23:5). But spiritual blessings, though
seen only by the eye of faith, are the real substances, for they have God’s
own power operating in them, (Rom. 8:28). Note that not only does the Lord
promise substance to them, but He promises to “fill” their treasures. See the
greatness of this promise in 1 Corinthians 2:710; Ephesians 3:18-29;
Revelation 21:7.

Proverbs 8:22 “The Lord possessed me in
the beginning of his way, beforehis works of old.”
“Wisdom here has personal properties and actions; and that intelligent divine
person can be no other than the Son of God himself, to whom the principal
things here spoken of wisdom are attributed in other scriptures. The best
exposition of these verses we have in the first four verses of St. John’s
gospel,” [M. Henry]. “The ‘beginning of God’s way’ is that time when first God
passed from His inscrutable way to active operation. The first of ‘His ways’
was creation,” [Faussett]. This carries this “Wisdom” back to eternal time,
and nothing is eternal but God.

Proverbs 8:23 “I wasset up from everlasting, from the beginning,or ever the earth was.”
“Set” is the same Hebrew word as in Psalm 2:6, and means “to anoint” or to set
forth officially. His eternal existence is often mentioned, (Ps. 93:2; Micah
5:2). His existence before the earth was, in the beginning of time as we know
it, is also declared, (John 1:1-3; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:1-2). Those who reject
the eternal existence of Christ, and wish to make Him only the first created
being, are faced with an impossible task in the light of all these and many
other like texts which so closely bear witness to his eternal being before all
created things. The description of Wisdom’s eternal being goes on.

Proverbs 8:24 “When therewere no depths, I was brought forth; when there were
no fountains abounding with water.” According to Genesis 1:2, the deep
is the first thing specifically mentioned after the creation, so that what is
here said of Wisdom reveals His existence anterior to Genesis 1:1-2. It was on
the second creative day that the upper and lower waters were separated from
one another, the firmament dividing between the two, (Gen 1:6-8). This, as
well as all of the rest of creation, was the work of Christ Himself, as we are
told often in the N. T. “Wisdom is in this full description shown to be prior
to all existing things in every kind of priority—in that of time, order,
dignity, and causation,” [Faussett]. Though “brought forth” may seem to our
ears to imply Wisdom’s origin, it is only because all things that we know have
some sort of beginning, and human language is almost unable to express origin
without beginning. Christ is also the “only begotten Son of God,” but this
does not imply that there ever was a time when he was not. God in all three
persons of the Trinity is “I AM THAT I AM,” (Ex. 3:14) —the eternally existing
One, to whom there is no past or present or future. He is above time.

Proverbs 8:25 “Before the mountains were
settled, before the hills was Ibrought forth.” Most of our modern mountains
and hills have resulted from the upheavals resulting from the flood and its
aftermath, but some hills were before the flood, (Gen. 7:19-20). They were
part of the original creation which Jesus Himself created at the original
creation. But if He created them, He had to exist before them. “Brought forth”
is an anthropomorphism—describing God in human terms (the only terms we
can understand) —which does not imply that He had an origin, as we do, but the
whole point is to show His existence prior to all created things and thereby
to prove that He is God, for only God antedates all created things. Nothing is
eternal but God.

Proverbs 8:26 “While as yet he had not
made the earth, nor the fields,nor the highest part of the dust of the world.”
Again the priority of “Wisdom” to the creation is set forth, nor is the
reference to God making the earth a proof that “Wisdom” is not Christ, for the
Father is the authority and God the Son is the agent in creation: “by whom
he made the worlds,” (Heb. 1:2). “Fields” refers to the outside placed in
contrast to the mountains, (v. 25). Most of the primeval earth was flat, and
the mountains of later date, so that this goes back to the very beginning.
“Highest part of the dust” sounds strange, but perhaps it refers to man, the
noblest part of the creation, who was made of the dust of the earth, (Gen.
2:7). The Hebrew word is the same in both places, and is often used of man,
(Gen. 3:19; 18:27; Ps. 103:14; Eccl. 3:20). Hence Wisdom’s existence before
the first man. “The creation of man is the last and highest stage in the
production of organic life. Every step in creation so far is a prophecy of his
coming and a preparation for it. This wonderful world is purposed for a higher
being than fish or fowl or beast,” [Carroll].

Proverbs 8:27 “When he prepared the
heavens, I wasthere: when he set a compass upon the face of the
depth.” Heaven and its hosts (angels as well as the stars) were
prepared before earth, and it was the rebellion of an angel that disrupted the
primeval earth of Genesis 1:1, (See Isa. 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:12-18; Jer.
4:23ff). Thus Wisdom antedates even the angelic creation, and proves Christ to
be infinitely more than the highest archangel. “Compass” is “a circle” as the
marginal reading and shows that the Bible taught the sphericity of the globe
long centuries before the first scientist thought of this. The Bible is always
accurate in all realms, science included, and so it is always far in advance
of the most advanced scientific theories. It is “Science falsely so called”
that opposes the Bible, (1 Tim. 6:20).

Proverbs 8:28“When he
established the clouds above: when he
strengthened the fountains of the deep.” Clouds are a mystery even to
meteorologists. Time-lapse photography of developing clouds make it appear
that they develop out of nothing. Were it not for God’s having established the
atmospheric laws that produce clouds, they would long since have dissipated
once and for all and left this globe a barren desert, incapable of life. God
also has blessed the earth with reservoirs of water to nourish life during
droughts. However, this deals primarily with the original creation. “He made
them of greater density, so as to sink down into their deep bed, and not float
above in the air, like the clouds; and strengthened the fountain-beds so that
the deep should not break forth, as he proceeds to describe in verse 29,” [Faussett].

Proverbs 8:29 “When he gave to the sea
his decree, that the watersshould not pass his commandment: when he appointed the
foundations of the earth.” This decree is stated in Job 38:10-11, Psalm
104:9 and Jeremiah 5:22. All that God does is orderly, and every part of the
creation is bounded by laws and decrees, which is why all creation works with
a more perfect precision than the most precise clock on earth. The skeptic may
snort that it is only the higher level of land that holds the sea in place,
but this would be true only if the earth were one great flat pancake. Because
it is a globe, the natural tendency would be for all water to fly out into
space away from earth, but for the law of gravity which constantly presses the
waters into the pores of the earth. God also appointed foundations to the
earth, of which we know little because they are in the heart of the earth, but
they stably uphold the surface.

Proverbs 8:30 “Then I was by him, as one
brought up with him: and I wasdaily his delight, rejoicing always before him.”
Remarkably similar to John 1:1-2, where we have (1) Absolute eternity of
being. (2) Distinct personality. (3) Nature or essence of Deity (Carroll).
Wisdom’s eternal existence before all creation means this can refer only to
Deity. “With Him” shows distinct personality. “Delight” and “rejoicing”
reveals the mutual complacency that the Father and Son have with each other,
(Isa. 42:1). God the Father calls Jesus His “beloved,” (Matthew 3:17; 12:18,
17:5; Eph. 1:6.) “Rejoicing” is more commonly rendered “laugh” or “play” and
the idea is of a father’s delight in watching a child frolic before him. “The
truth meant is, ‘I was by Him as the closest and supreme object of the
Father’s delight,’” [Faussett].

Proverbs 8:31 “Rejoicing in the
habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with thesons of
men.” “Rejoicing” and “delights” are both the same Hebrew words in both
verses, showing that what the Father felt for His Son, the son also feels for
men, for the Son does all the works that His Father does, (John 5:17-18), for
He is equal to the Father in all attributes. Here we see the love of Christ
for men manifesting itself in eternity past, for knowing the Father’s
determinate counsels, He reckoned men as already existing though they did so
only in the elective purposes and counsels of God. It was this supreme kind of
love that moved Him to voluntarily lay down His life for His sheep, (John
10:16-18). It required a like supreme love for the Father to give up His Son,
(Rom. 5:8).

Proverbs 8:32“Now
therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessedare they that keep my ways.” “Therefore”
suggests a reason to love God because of His love to us, (1 John 4:19), and
love is always manifested to God by obedience. Wisdom appeals to the sons of
men to obey and keep her ways that they might be blessed. Christ apparently
refers to this very verse in Luke 11:28, 49; 7:35. “Let Wisdom’s children
justify Wisdom by hearkening to her,” [M. Henry]. So far from Wisdom’s counsel
causing one to lose out on some desirable thing, it actually promotes
happiness, for it withholds one from dangers, and directs one to that which is
best for him. No one really loses anything of real value by obeying the Word
of God. It is apart of Satan’s deception to imply that God withholds good from
people, (Gen. 3:1-5).

Proverbs 8:33 “Hear instruction, and be
wise, and refuse it not.”
There cannot be any wisdom without the hearing of God’s Word and accepting it.
Hence, Satan attempts to out off wisdom at its very source by stealing the
Word from men. Note how he does this in Jeremiah 23:29-32: (1) By withholding
the Word, verse 30. (2) By misinterpreting it, verse 31. (3) By substitution
of falsehood for it, verse 32. This has always been a common way of keeping
people from obeying Wisdom’s precepts so that they could be happy. Often man’s
own depraved nature causes him to lend himself to this deception so as to
refuse the Word.

Proverbs 8:34 “Blessed is the man that
heareth me, watching daily at mygates, waiting at the post of my doors.”
“Blessed” always has to do with happiness, so that here is the source of true
happiness: obedience to Christ. But notice how this chapter teaches the
prevenient grace of God: “Prevenient grace” is grace that goes before and
acts prior to all human acting and seeking. We do not first seek Him until we
find Him, but He first seeks us, crying at our gates and doors, (v. 3), until
we finally seek to him. In this day of humanism and will-worship, one hears
little of prevenient grace.

Proverbs 8:35 “For whoso findeth me
findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord.” “Life” is plural, for the promise is
both of the life that now is, and that which is to come. Both of these find
their fullness only in Christ, for in Him alone is the life that is the light
of men, (John 1:4). Eternal life is alone in Christ, and this is through the
grace (favor) of God, for we are only accepted in Christ, (Eph. 1:6). Whoso
neglects the salvation that is in Christ alone, shall not have life, (Acts
4:12; Heb. 2:2-3). The Lord’s promise to seekers is that they shall find,
(Matthew 7:7-8). There is no promise but of wrath to come for the unconcerned
and negligent, (Rom. 1:18; 2 Thess. 2:10-12.) It is a simple choice: we must
choose Him who is the Truth or we shall be deceived by him who is the Lie.
Hence the warning of the final verse in this chapter:

Proverbs 8:36 “But he that sinneth
against me wrongeth his own soul: all theythat hate me love
death.” “Not to love and earnestly seek wisdom is to sin against her.
To disregard her is to hate her, and is virtually, though
unconsciously, to lovedeath.”
[Faussett]. This is no one’s fault but the one who neglects to hear. “They
ruin themselves, and Wisdom will not hinder them, because they have set at
naught all her counsel.” [M. Henry]. Remember the warnings of Proverbs
1:24-33. It is clear that unbelievers hate Christ when they do all in their
power to keep clear of Him, and desire not to even hear His Word. May Divine
grace tender our hearts to hear and receive the Word.